Will the Oscars Play 'Millionaire'?
I have to brag. Last year, I got nine of the 10 categories that I picked correct. My only mistake was that I never thought that the Academy would give an Oscar to an ex-stripper. But hey, there's a first time for everything.
So, everyone's been talking about Slumdog Millionaire, the rags to riches story this year that wasn't done in a Disney-over-cliched-way. But somehow, Slumdog went from the relatively unknown to this raging Oscar contender. It almost feels like when LOTR: The Return of the King won all 11 of its nominations. LOTR was inevitable and maybe Slumdog is too.
But, like last year, if I were to rate my favorite movies out of the five that are being nominated for Oscar's biggest prize. it'd go something like this:
1) Milk
2) Slumdog Millionaire
3) Frost/Nixon
4) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5) The Reader
I just really liked the way Milk was presented. We all knew Harvey Milk was going to die, but the movie still kept it suspenseful, even until his death. It's a moving film. And even if you aren't an inspiring activist, it can still find a place to affect you. The top three films are amazing. Button was good. The Reader is, well, The Reader.
Here are my picks for this year.
Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionare
Actor: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader
Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Support Actress: Taraji P. Henson
Original Screenplay: Milk
Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire
Score: Slumdog Millionaire
Animated Feature: WALL-E
So, everyone's been talking about Slumdog Millionaire, the rags to riches story this year that wasn't done in a Disney-over-cliched-way. But somehow, Slumdog went from the relatively unknown to this raging Oscar contender. It almost feels like when LOTR: The Return of the King won all 11 of its nominations. LOTR was inevitable and maybe Slumdog is too.
But, like last year, if I were to rate my favorite movies out of the five that are being nominated for Oscar's biggest prize. it'd go something like this:
1) Milk
2) Slumdog Millionaire
3) Frost/Nixon
4) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5) The Reader
I just really liked the way Milk was presented. We all knew Harvey Milk was going to die, but the movie still kept it suspenseful, even until his death. It's a moving film. And even if you aren't an inspiring activist, it can still find a place to affect you. The top three films are amazing. Button was good. The Reader is, well, The Reader.
Here are my picks for this year.
Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionare
Actor: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader
Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Support Actress: Taraji P. Henson
Original Screenplay: Milk
Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire
Score: Slumdog Millionaire
Animated Feature: WALL-E